confessions of a blueberry bandit

July Goodness...

July has already been filled with so many lovely things...  like long nature walks with a favorite cousin visiting from afar...

 

Delicious food and fun times with friends...

And a very special new arrival...

Please say hello to The Reverend Shorty Gonzales.  You can just call him Shorty if you like.  He is a tiny, floppy, goofy little muppet of a dog, and I absolutely adore him.  Of course Junebug will always be #1 in my heart, but it has been many long years since I had a dog to love.  Andy & I are quite smitten, and Junebug is taking it all in stride... which is to say she hasn't scratched his eyes out yet.  It's a pretty big adjustment for all of us, but I feel very hopeful that life will be peaceful in no time.  (In case anyone is wondering, Shorty is a mix of Shih-Tzu and miniature Cocker Spaniel...)

We're having a very sleepy Independence Day around here, but we're going to make use of our grill with some friends later on and then watch the fireworks at a nearby park.  Andy & I don't really go out of our way to celebrate it anymore, but today is technically our anniversary... the anniversary of (finally) conquering mutual shyness and holding hands under the fireworks -- our unplanned first-date-of-sorts.  I suppose a new (furry) addition to our little family is a nice way to celebrate Eight Years of Being Together, though!  And the fireworks will be a nice touch...

I hope everyone has a fantastic Saturday and/or Independence Day!

♥ ♥ ♥

(Pssst...)

A brand-new softie, one of two which I'll be posting in the shop tomorrow... finally... in semi-honor of my Third Etsy Anniversary... which was Monday. 

I'm trying to assuage all my guilt and disappointment over not being a greater success on Etsy by reminding myself of all the (numerous, crazy) things that have happened in the last three years... like becoming a homeowner, getting a real job, entering the dreaded Thirties, traveling & rock 'n roll touring, not to mention all the other unrelated personal triumphs and tragedies.  Sigh... We're all on our own valid paths, right?

♥

* *  UPDATE  * *

As promised, more pics ... and three new softies now in the shop!!!

 

   

The seven-year-old in me is forever heartbroken...

This is how I choose to remember Michael Jackson...  Fresh-faced and so tremendously talented... my biggest childhood heartthrob, my first concert, still one of my all-time favorite pop stars.  To be honest, I can't help feeling like he died long ago...  It pained me to watch his life turn so tragically sad and scandalous.  His sparkling glove will shine in my heart and my memory forever.  Rest in peace, Michael...

(Now I'm going to listen to Off the Wall over and over again to chase the sadness of it all away.)

Birdie with a yellow bill...

All the sniffles and coughs in the world couldn't dampen my spirit after spying this through my window!

 

xoxo!

My fairy tale cottage...

After two-and-a-half years, two visits from Andy's parents, and countless, countless hours of hard work, it's finally coming together... I'm very pleased to share the fruits of all our labor!

I don't think I've ever worked so hard in all my life...  We spent a whole week scraping brick, painting trim and repainting every single surface on our porch, etc, etc, etc...  I pretty much owe Andy's parents (Rex & Leslie) my soul by now!  I don't know how I will ever manage to express my gratitude...

The Evolution of Our House:





I was so happy to see that electric blue trim go... and the ugly red shutters.  I finally the right shade of green paint, too.

I have always wanted heart shutters, so I doodled a little design, and Andy's stepfather Rex made it happen!   Rex & Andy did a fantastic job building the shutters, and Leslie & I did a fantastic job of painting them, if I do say so myself!

Rex came up with this ingeniously cute solution to our squirrel problem... I'd like to see the squirrel who can chew through this!

We also added some lovely cat-proof screen doors...

And Rex repaired the birdhouse he made for us as a Christmas gift (which was badly mangled by the USPS).  We placed it just outside the kitchen window...

I still have to add some finishing touches (including a new roof later this month), but for now I'm catching up at work and fighting off a pesky cold.  I'll be back soon!

Have a lovely weekend!

♥

The End of May in Pictures...

A tiny tidbit of creative progress...

 

Plenty of spring showers and May flowers...

Memorial Day weekend at the lake... and precious quality time with my dad & sister & her kiddies...

And last night's super-fun CD release show (Marshmallow Coast, The Lolligags, and Casper & the Cookies)... I snapped a picture of Andy & Leslie during the Lolligags set.

And Andy & me rockin' Marshmallow Coast set with our friend Jim (photos courtesy of Leslie)...

 

 

I enjoyed myself a little too much and am still recovering...

I'll be spending this very last day of May doing some work in the yard and a million other chores...  Andy's parents will be here Wednesday, so it's going to be a crazy busy  (but fun!) week.  I'll be sure to post again soon and show some of our home makeover!

Have a lovely week!
♥

Don't try this at home...

I've quite mastered the disappearing act, don't you think? 

I ended up having a very fun birthday weekend that unfortunately did not include any creative progress.  Oh, well... sometimes you just have let yourself live, right?  At least I can say I made some very good progress in the being social and learning to relax departments.

So far Being Thirty-Two has revolved around learning important (and seemingly common-sense) life lessons... things a sensible person such as myself probably should have grasped long ago.  Sigh...  I thought I'd take a moment to share a few of my favorites...

Lesson Number One:

Don't try to wash a feather pillow in your cantankerous off-brand washing machine.  And don't attempt to dry your now lumpy-and-horrible-smelling feather pillow in your cantankerous, off-brand dryer... because there will be a feather explosion that will clog your lint trap and nearly burn your house to the ground.  And you will end up buying a new pillow anyway.

Lesson Number Two:

Don't go to your local pet store on a Saturday to casually look at the dogs being offered for adoption by various animal rescue agencies.  And don't let a crazy-intense woman sucker you into adopting a crazy-sweet dog that you're not 100% sure about right there on the spot... Because you will tearfully decide that you must return said dog after he destroys your living room and attacks your cat, and you will then be so overwhelmed by guilt that you cry for two days and donate everything purchased for the dog including the very expensive (and negotiable) adoption fee.  And you will feel like the most horrible person in the world.  (Do, however, donate to animal rescue just out of the goodness of your heart!)

Lesson Number Three:

Do not stand outside in the bright afternoon sun for three or four hours without first applying sunblock.  Even if you are chatting with your (very sweet) neighbor and having such a good time that you lose all sense of time.  Especially if you have very pale skin that burns instantly.  Otherwise, your feet will end up looking like this and you won't be able to wear shoes for two days:

I'm happy to say that I am (finally) caught up at work for the first time in many weeks, and I'm looking forward to a nice, long weekend of gardening and sewing (yes, sewing!).  The next few weeks are going to be busier than ever... recording sessions, an upcoming show to celebrate the release of the new Marshmallow Coast CD(!!!), and a visit from Andy's parents.  They're going to help us with as many home-improvement projects as we can squeeze into a week, including painting the exterior of our house.  I am so excited!

Well, I'm off to apply some Vitamin E to my poor feet and agonize over paint colors.  Have a lovely (and sensible) week!

♥ ♥ ♥

p.s.
A few new additions to my garden:

 

Yay for May!

Greetings after another dreadfully long absence!  I've been hiding out under this lovely mushroom that sprouted out of my doormat... actually a pair of mushrooms.  Wouldn't it be nice to live in a mushroom house?

 

April was busy as can be.  Let's see... work, work, and more work... a bit of weeding, planting and digging... lots of trips to the plant nursery... numerous long walks... a few self-reflective, semi-tearful what-the-hell-am-I-doing-with-my-life sessions... an early-birthday shopping trip in Hotlanta with my sweet hubby... a brief but very fun visit with bestest friend & her hubby (in town from Brooklyn).  Throw in a little more work, a generous pinch of insomnia, and a dash of dwindling self-esteem, and that about sums up my month.  (Oh, and did I mention the sewage mishap that resulted in the city coming to clean/ sanitize my bathroom & throw everything away?)  Sigh...  Thank goodness it's May! 

In just three short days, I will be... Thirty-Two.  I try not to obsess about aging, but it's starting to get to me just a little bit.  I keep having those "How did I get here?" moments... Like yesterday, when I was renewing my driver's license at the DMV.  I had the option to renew it for 10 years.  All I could think of was that in 10 years I will be 42.  Oh, my god.  I almost had a meltdown right there.  I think I frightened the poor DMV employee who was unwittingly assisting me in my mid-life crisis... 

So... This weekend I am going to try to spend as much time as I can working on creative endeavors.  And being outside.  Possibly at the same time.  (Though it's going to be a busy weekend... An old friend of Andy's will be staying with us...) I'm feeling rather guilty about opting out of the Craftstravaganza that is taking place here in Athens Saturday & Sunday... I knew well in advance that I wouldn't have time to prepare.  I will be sure to visit a few lovely ladies who will be selling their wares, though.  If you're local, you should definitely check it out!

Well, I'm off to finish up my work for the day so I can squeeze in some sewing and maybe a movie with my main squeeze... and try to figure out the best way to celebrate the ol' birthday on such a busy weekend. 

Happy May to everyone!

♥

p.s.

I'll be working on some more tiny softies like this little guy...

Buttercup and his tiny bird...

Buttercup and his tiny bird love to while away sunny afternoons lying under the hydrangea bush, telling stories to caterpillars... 

I finished these guys a few days ago, but I've been waiting all week for a nice sunny day to take photos.  They'll be hopping their way into my shop later today or tomorrow. 

I'm also working on some tiny birds and bunnies to be sold individually... Hopefully I can finish some this weekend.  Hooray!

Have a lovely Friday!

♥

Pssst....

New things in the shop !

More to come this week!

♥ ♥ ♥

Rainy days and tiny bunnies...

Say hello to Rosie and her tiny bunny friend!  (That bunny sure is full of secrets...)

I have been dying to make a teeny-tiny bunny for ages, and I finally got my chance today.  It was my first real day off in almost three weeks, and it was dreadfully, deliciously dark & rainy.  I settled myself on the couch with Junebug and sewed away the hours.  It was exactly what I needed!  I am planning to take some better pictures tomorrow (if the sun finally peeks out as promised), and then I'll be listing Rosie in my shop.  Hopefully I'll be able to finish a few other friends who have been waiting in the wings for a while.  

I hope at least a few people participated in Earth Hour...  Andy & I turned off (and unplugged) everything in the house and walked down the street to sit in the dark with our friend Leslie.  I was disappointed to see that ours was the only dark house on our block.  Oh, well.

I'm off to play with... my new Wacom tablet!!!  Andy gave it to me as a combo anniversary/birthday gift.  I am hoping it will inspire me to start drawing again after my (embarrassingly) long dry spell.

Hopefully more finished projects tomorrow!

♥

Happy Anniversary (to me & my love)!

Five years ago this very day, Andy and I tied the knot!  It's funny, I feel as if I have known him my whole life and longer...  We are both crazy-busy with our prospective jobs this week, so we're planning on a low-key evening at home with dinner and wine.  (We may sneak away on a mini-adventure in a couple of weekends.) 

I am just so thankful that we're together!  Here's to five more lifetimes...

xoxo

♥ ♥ ♥

p.s.
Junebug didn't want the occasion to pass without a bit of fanfare, so she brought us a tiny (dead) mouse this morning.  She's always the thoughtful one!

 

Welcome, Spring!

I've been waiting for you...

 

Andy & I had a lovely time on our trip to Denver, relaxing and visiting with family & friends.  Unfortunately we both got a terrible bug just before returning home.   I spent all of last week being sooooo sick and trying to catch up at work.  (Andy & I had to struggle through a show even though both of us felt ghastly and Andy's voice was going.)  I've only felt well again the last couple of days, just in time for the beautiful spring weather we've been having!  I've been sneaking out to soak up some sun every chance I get and enjoying some nice, long walks.  Craftiness has, as usual, been on hold... but I promise I have several things that are near-finished.  I'll be working all weekend to help meet a huge deadline for my job, and then I'm hoping I can get back in the studio next week!

In the meantime, I'll share some pictures from our trip.  Andy's parents own a bit of property in the mountains (Ranch of the Rockies), where they've built two tiny but super-comfy cabins.  We spent two very relaxing days there and were sad when it was time to leave.  It is breathtakingly beautiful there, in the high plains...

 

Our little cabin...

 

The view from the outhouse (the most pleasant outhouse imaginable!)...

Everything is powered by wind or sun, both of which there is a great abundance...

 

  

(Sorry... Obviously I have a thing for Airstreams...)

 

 

I'll be back soon with some honest-to-goodness Progress! 

Happy Spring!  (I suppose it's Happy Autumn for everyone in the southern hemisphere!)

♥ ♥ ♥

p.s. 

I just had to sneak in a picture of Andy & me riding an ATV... probably the only time you'll catch me on one!  It was terrifying!

And, of course, the obligatory picture of Junebug enjoying a sunny afternoon...

So Long, Farewell... for now

Hello!  Greetings from Birmingham, where I am sipping my morning coffee & chatting with my dad.

I had planned to blog again and share pictures of the 8 inches of snow that fell on Sunday, but I lost power for more than 24 hours!!!  I have never seen so much snow in my life!  Andy & I had an impromptu snowball fight with our friends Leslie, Mike & Eric, who luckily live very close-by.  We even had fun tromping through the snow to the drugstore to buy candles and provisions.  We sat huddled under blankets by our big window in candle light and just gazed at all that beautiful snow... it was lovely and sort of romantic.  And then the cold set in.  By morning we could see our breath in the house and all of our food had spoiled.  (Why didn't I think to stick the contents of the refrigerator in all that snow?) Monday was a miserable day, indeed, but we survived! 

We're off to Denver today to visit Andy's family.  I've closed up the shop and will reopen it next Tuesday, March 10th.  In the meantime, I hope everyone has a lovely week!

xoxo

Winter Wonderland?

I woke this morning to yet another nasty, soggy, rainy day and scoffed at the forecast for snow...  Boy, was I ever wrong!  I haven't seen snow in Athens in five or six years, maybe longer.  The lovely giant flakes just keep falling... 

There is already twice as much snow on the ground since I took these photos...  Junebug stuck one little paw outside and immediately high-tailed it back into the house.  I don't think she's ever seen snow before.  She seems pretty non-plussed about it all, but I am beside myself with joy!

Just a little sneak peek at some new friends-in-progress...

And a new version of the bunny pouch, freshly re-designed for something top-secret... something exciting but still in the might-not-happen category...

I've been in so-busy-I-could-cry mode the last couple of weeks.  This has been my first real weekend off in a while, and it has been so nice.  Finally some time for sewing, not to mention hanging out with The Lolligags, who were here recording their new record with Andy.  And now the snow... I don't think I could have asked for a better weekend!

Andy & I are off to Denver in a couple of days, after squeezing in a quick visit with my dad in Birmingham.  We're both very so for a little adventure!  I'll try to get some new things in the shop as soon as possible, but it will probably have to wait until we return.

 In the mean time, Andy and I are going to bundle up and take a little walk and then make some hot cocoa, because what else do you do on a silent snowy day?

See you soon!

Sunny Saturday Bliss...

Ah, what a perfect sort of Saturday!

After a couple weeks of cold, busy drudgery, Spring is in the air and I can finally relax.  Work has been keeping me quite stressed and preoccupied, but I have managed to squeeze in a few fun things...  Like what, you ask?  Let's see... a long afternoon visit with my friend Rizzie and her tiny new baby girl... celebrating my sister's 35th birthday (yikes, that makes me feel old!)... preparing for & playing a very fun show with Lolligags and How I Became the Bomb and having way too much to drink (my poison of choice is whiskey & ginger-ale)... a girls' night at my friend Emily's with a gaggle of ladies, nudie-man playing cards and a Ouija board... planning a trip to Denver next month(!)... and of course, jetting around in my jelly-bean car! 

Last night I slept better than I have in weeks, and I was so happy to wake with warm sunshine on my face.  I've just had a lovely, lovely time lolling around soaking up the much-needed rays with Junebug.  (Is it wrong to be blissfully in love with a cat?)

Junebug helped me eat my very favorite lunch... brown rice with (an entire) avocado, seasoned with a shiitake vinaigrette, nutritional yeast, and a sprinklin' of sesame & seaweed.  Heaven...

And she very patiently let me get up-close and personal with the camera, which she usually hates...

 

 

 

 

Sigh... I wish days like this could last forever...

What to do with the rest of the day?  Maybe some sewing on the front porch (I have some new softie ideas I've been ruminating over during my recent bouts of insomnia), and then a leisurely walk with Andy.  Maybe a crafty project or two with my friend Leslie later on. 

I hope everyone has a lovely, lovely weekend! 

Baby You Can Drive My Car...

Yeah, you heard me.  My car.  I bought a car!!!

A shiny red new-to-me car!  Never in a million years did I imagine I would be driving something so sporty and red... But I love it!

After almost a year of being home-bound and completely dependent on Andy, I finally have wheels again!  It is with great shame that I admit that I will never drive a stick-shift... (and confess that I had to rent a car for two weeks while Andy's arm was broken).  Even before el diablo del stick-shift, Andy & I shared a car for a number of years.  I just can't express how amazing it feels to have my own little car!  I feel like a real person again.  A big girl. 

Before you judge me too harshly for not being able to operate a manual car, you must know that it's somewhat miraculous that I can drive at all.  I resisted even learning to ride a bicycle until my parents bought me a shiny new one for Christmas one year and forced me-- long after other kids my age had learned to ride.  I crashed into the same tiny, unsuspecting tree-ling in our yard so many times that I don't think the poor thing ever grew.  And later, while on a family vacation, I had a terrible accident on a go-cart at an amusement park.  I crashed into a wall and caused a three go-cart pile-up.  I was covered in bruises and humiliated beyond belief, and I swore that I would never operate a moving vehicle again.  I think the general consensus was that I would never drive... But I finally got my license when I was 18, and I bought my first car when I was 21.  And the world was suddenly so full of possibilities!  (I just might go to my grave without setting foot in a go-cart, though...)

Despite my traumatic history, I think I am a safe driver.  A bit timid, yes, but responsible.  I'm thinking my red car will make me feel a little sassier, more confident.  At any rate, I am ready for adventure, big or small.

Wanna go for a ride?

Back soon, hopefully with some crafty progress!

Happy Inauguration Day!

Just wanted to pop in and say hello on this historic day!  Aretha's belting out a very passionate My Country Tis of Thee, and the sun is shining...  It's a great feeling.  I have never paid much attention to presidential inaugurations in the past, but today I am rapt with anticipation and will surely cry.  Here's to a better future for everyone!

 

It's Friday! (isn't it?...)

Hello on a much-needed sunny Friday! 

I just wanted to pop in to share some quick little tidbits of Progress...

First, a softie I made recently for my friends Rizzie & Robert, who are going to have a baby any day now!!!

They are both amazing people & will surely be amazing parents to what will surely be the cutest baby ever.  I'm really excited for them!

I snuck in a little commemorative embroidered tattoo...

Also, I have finally begun listing some (sorta) new postcard sets in my shop.  (Jeez, it took me long enough to get my act together!)

Some assortments...

Also several sets of individual images...

 

I realized today that Valentine's Day is right around the corner, so I'm going to do my best to get some new bunny pouches & softies ready in time.  Hopefully some other new surprises, too.

Well, I'm off to scrounge up a late lunch & get back to work.  Then a long, sunshiney walk with my hubby.  I hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

Save Handmade Toys!

I'm not sure how many crafters have been following all the controversy over the new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), which essentially requires all products for children under the age of 12 to be stringently tested by a third party & permanently labeled.  I first saw mention of it weeks ago on Etsy.  It troubled me, but I thought it might not apply to me since I'm just one tiny individual, and since my handmade toys are not intended exclusively for children.  But I've since learned that this act could be devastating for all the small businesses and crafters out there (like me) who make anything that could even be perceived to be for children under the age of 12.  It's terrifying. 

So I did something today that I had never done before... I wrote my representatives (both Congress & Senate).  I also signed any petition I could get my (virtual) hands on and voted, voted, voted to get this issue amended. 

This is something that affects so many of us in the craft world!  So please, take a moment to visit these links & save our beloved hand-crafted items!

• Handmade Toy Alliance - contact your representatives & sign the petition
  
• Change.org - Vote to save handmade toys from the CPSIA
• Obama's official transition site  - search for CPSIA in questions & move it up on the agenda!
  
• CPSIA Central - read & discuss

Enjoy your Tuesday & keep your fingers crossed for the fate of handmade items!